Bold Concepts: Porsche’s EV Innovations

Porsche is vying to be the best in the luxury electric sports car market.  The announcement that the Porsche Mission E is moving from concept to reality has car enthusiasts in a tizzy.  Let’s take a look at Porsche’s bold concepts in electronic vehicle innovation.

Testing the Waters

As technology has become more prevalent in our society, and as it has taken over many aspects of our lives, the leaders at Porsche have been working hard to find ways to evolve and keep up with the changes. Porsche’s first foray into the electronic vehicle market was with hybrids.  At one point, the brand offered three different electric model lines, including the 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid super car.  Porsche enthusiasts were not impressed and were initially upset with the hybrid vehicle.

One of the Porsche managers recalls that “The uproar when we announced development of the 918 Spyder was massive. Customers asked why we won’t simply build a super sports car with more horsepower and a 10-cylinder engine. It was only after achieving the lap-time record for road cars on the Nuerburgring’s Nordschleife that orders began to pour in. Had our engineers in Weissach not developed that, they wouldn’t have had the experience to then build the 919 Hybrid Le Mans [racecar], which in turn was crucially important for the Mission E.”

The innovative 800-volt electrical architecture of the 919 Hybrid Le Mans race car which significantly reduces the amount of current needed. This technology, using thinner cables and wiring, is small enough to fit in the Mission E. The experience with hybrids led to the engineering that will make the Mission E possible in 2019.

Interior of the Porsche Mission E

The Mission E will be a luxury electric car with a beautiful design. Sporty, sleek, and futuristic are some of the most common words used to describe this concept car that is currently in production.  With rear suicide doors, riders will have easy access to the four seat cabin.  Luxury interiors are reflected in the vehicle’s price. Leather bucket style racing seats are part of the design, and rear passengers will enjoy an armrest and small storage space.  The driver’s display is curved, detached, and programmable.  OLED display and eye tracking technology make the console dials easy to see form any angle. The center console will also have a touchscreen tablet for easy access to infotainment options and climate control.

Specs of the Mission E

The Porsche Mission E will have two high performance motors.  One motor is mounted to the front axle, and the other is mounted to the rear.  Combined they will produce 440kW (600bhp). This translates in to a speed of 0-62 mph in 3.5 seconds and 0-124 mph in 12 seconds.  The top speed for the Mission E is 155 mph.

The vehicle will be able to travel about 300 miles on a single charge.  When rapid charge in enabled, the battery can regenerate up to 80 percent in just 15 minutes.  This is certainly an impressive development!  Presently, Porsche developers are able to add 60 miles of charge in a mere 4 minutes.  The Mission E will also be set up for inductive wireless charging.  This exciting feature will enable to vehicle to charge when parked in a garage that is set up for wireless charging. The Mission E is expected to cost around $80,000 – $90,000, which makes this luxury electric sportscar attainable for many.

In the future, Porsche is considering expanding its EV line into the SUV and coupe markets.  Porsche has been a mainstay in the automotive world for decades, and with their promising developments in the EV market show that they intend to be around far into the future as well.  You might also enjoy our article on the rise of luxury electric cars here.